Yerevan Snark in Russian 1430 GMT 6 Apr 99
Health Minister on AIDS Patients
[FBIS Translated Text] Yerevan, 6th April: Thirty-one people suffering from AIDS are undergoing treatment in Yerevan using the "Armenikum" medicine developed by Armenian scientists, Armenian Health Minister Ayk Nikogosyan said today. He said that the majority of patients were Russian citizens. "We have no more clinical material in Armenia", i.e. there are no more [Armenian] AIDS patients. The minister added that four more patients had arrived in Armenian recently. According to Nikogosyan, they had arrived under an agreement reached in mid- March during a visit to Armenia by regional director of the international clinical centre Timothy Meed. Under the agreements reached, these patients' blood is tested by other foreign centres prior to their arrival in Yerevan. The newly-arrived AIDS patients are undergoing tests in Armenia. Treatment with Armenikum will begin after the tests. Both Armenian and foreign experts will exercise control over the treatment process. Nikogosyan added that a closed- type joint-stock company, Armenikum, had been set up to deal with all issues and problems relevant to the Armenikum drug. The minister stressed that all foreign citizens wishing to undergo treatment with Armenikum in Yerevan arrived in the republic via diplomatic channels; under the Armenian law "On AIDS" passed by parliament in 1995, HIV-infected foreigners arriving in Armenia are subject to deportation. The Armenian Health Ministry is drafting a package of amendments to the law.
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